FAZAL MAHMOOD (1927-2005)

Look ma, someone knocks at the door

FAZAL MAHMOOD (1927-2005) Fazal Mahmood, a medium-paced swing bowler, became a legendary figure in Pakistan’s cricket circles He began to play the game after joining the police service of Pakistan He attracted notice as a prominent bowler when the country’s cricket authorities began to assemble a national team to play in India The visit to India established his place not only in the history of Pakistani cricket but much more broadly For several years, he was among the most recognizable faces in Pakistan, with corresponding wide name recognition Fazal Mahmood had a number of “firsts” to his credit He was a member of the Pakistan cricket team, led by Abdul Hafeez Kirdar, another cricket legend, that played its first-ever test match in 1952 That match was played in India He starred in Pakistan’s first ever test-win in the same series against India He then bowled Pakistan to a historic victory over England at The Oval in 1954

He was the most successful bowler of the earlier part of Pakistan’s cricket history